BW prints from Dichroic Enlarger?

Photo Chemist · Dec 31, 2018

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this. I would like to do both B&W and color prints. Is it possible, and smart, to use a color enlarger for both BW and Color work? Or not? What is best way to go about this?

Obviously, I'm at the very beginning of my printing journey - and appreciate any help you can offer!

adelorenzo · Dec 31, 2018

Yes it works great. You can either use the color filter pack to adjust contrast or you can use under the lens Ilford filters. Your box of paper will include info on the M/Y color filter settings to get various contrast grades.

Craig75 · Dec 31, 2018

'Tis both possible and smart.

this looks like a quick and easy primer on principles

https://www.shutterbug.com/content/darkroombrprinting-black-and-white-negatives-color-enlarger

Hal Incandenza · Dec 31, 2018

Yes, a dichro will work great for B&W. With variable contrast B&W papers adjusting the contrast with the color filtration will require a little trial and error. A good starting point, in general, is to begin with a filter combination of 0 Yellow and 0 Magenta (don't use Cyan), and see how the contrast resolves. If you need more contrast from this point, add magenta, if you need less contrast, add yellow.

jimjm · Dec 31, 2018

After using a dichroic head for B/W printing, I'll never willingly go back to drawer filters.
Download the Ilford Contrast control pdf for all the info you need.

jim appleyard · Dec 31, 2018

jimjm said:
After using a dichroic head for B/W printing, I'll never willingly go back to drawer filters.
Download the Ilford Contrast control pdf for all the info you need.

A big "YES!"

fjpod · Dec 31, 2018

I've been doing it for years. Can't imagine going back to drawer filters. I look at the contrast of my negatives. If they are a bit drab, I might start at a 3 or 4 setting. If they look high contrast I might start at 2. By the numbers I mean the dichroic equivalent. Charts are available online, i think from Kodak. I always use dual filtration as this keeps exposure times more constant throughout. Great for split grade printing. Have fun.

AgX · Dec 31, 2018

Back then it was the usual way to go if one wanted to do both, colour and b&w.
.
Some modular built enlargers in addition yielded the feature to substitute the 3-colour head by a dedicated varicontrast head (basically a 1-channel dichro head) or by a classic head with a opalized bulb and without mixing chamber (to yield more directed lighting) and in few cases even by a point light lamp (for most directed lighting).

chip j · Dec 31, 2018

I assume a dichroic head would work w/graded papers, too, w/the filters out of the way?

koraks · Dec 31, 2018

Some people say that with a dichroic head you won't be able to get the extreme grades on VC paper. I don't bother and just use a color head anyway; it has proven adequate for me. And yes, graded papers expose fine with all filters set to zero.

RalphLambrecht · Dec 31, 2018

Photo Chemist said:
I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this. I would like to do both B&W and color prints. Is it possible, and smart, to use a color enlarger for both BW and Color work? Or not? What is best way to go about this?

Obviously, I'm at the very beginning of my printing journey - and appreciate any help you can offer!

color enlargers with dichroic filters are perfect for B&W prints after a little bit of calibration to find out what filtration to use for any specific print contrast. BY THE WAY,under-the-lens-filters work well too.

Photo Chemist · Dec 31, 2018

Thank you, everyone! I am continually amazed at the collective knowledge on this forum. I don't know where I would go - or what I would do - without this place. Thank you!

Sirius Glass · Jan 2, 2019

I only print my black & white with a Dichroic enlarger.

Dali · Jan 2, 2019

This is the only enlarger type I used for the last 30 years.

RalphLambrecht · Jan 2, 2019

koraks said:
Some people say that with a dichroic head you won't be able to get the extreme grades on VC paper. I don't bother and just use a color head anyway; it has proven adequate for me. And yes, graded papers expose fine with all filters set to zero.

I get from 0-5+ with mine easily but, needed the extreme grades, means the negatives are suboptimal to begin with.

bvy · Jan 3, 2019

Of course. I split grade print everything at 200M+0Y for high grade, and 0M+200Y for low grade.

BW prints from Dichroic Enlarger?

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